Listen to the series of Wisdom Keeper Interviews on The Journey of Extraordinary Wisdom with the Visioneers www.thevisioneers.ca

This richly illustrated talk assesses how what Anne calls the ‘Four Paths to Union with the Divine Ground’ (ie Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Christianity) have assisted or impeded the recognition of the sacredness of the Earth and our role on this planet. It looks at the shadow aspect of these paths, including their ‘Up and Out’ cosmology and shows how some have conditioned us to regard nature as inferior to spirit, and to consider ourselves to be ‘above’ nature and separate from the life of the planet. They do not address the fundamental questions: what is the purpose of the material universe and the value and meaning of our lives as part of it? The New Story tells us that we have an inspiring purpose and an agenda to accomplish: to carry out the will of the Cosmos for this planet; to safeguard its life; to cherish every aspect of its divinity.

As a Jungian analyst and a historian, I would like to offer an archetypal overview of why the current crisis may have come into being; showing when, where and how the masculine and feminine archetypes – reflected in the image of a God or Goddess – became separated, and why this separation has had such a deep impact on Western civilization. I am not speaking only of the pandemic but the far greater challenge of climate change.

Today we are faced with a choice — a choice that will determine whether or not we survive as a species. Through ignorance, hubris and the belief that we could dominate nature to the advantage of our species alone, we have interfered so disastrously with the organism of the planet, that over the last 50 years, our growing numbers and our mindless exploitation of its resources have brought about not only the destruction of 60% of all species but also the crisis of climate change. ⁽²⁾

You can contact me at annebaring@freeuk.com